Tae Kwon Do Tournament

I go to my Karate class on Wednesday nights at 6:00pm before the actual class time starts at 7:15pm until 8:15pm. I go there before it starts is because I really am committed to karate for my lifetime. Karate is my passion and I love doing karate. It is fun and very good exercise for me and for everyone too.

While I was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I was practicing and training every day. I went to fitness gym to build up my strength. I also took tennis lessons to improve my balance and coordination. Then my coach helped and showed me how to use visualization for mental toughness.      

When I came back to Michigan, I went to karate camp, which was held in the cabins in the woods. I was so excited to be at karate camp because my whole karate team plus all the Karate Instructors were there. We trained for 3 straight days over the weekend. We worked on forms, sparring, and board breaking. My Instructors and some black belt students did break bricks too. We were preparing and training for the National Tournament, so we were so tired and very sore everywhere on our bodies. My master instructor had a campfire for us one night just to talk to each other. My teammates and instructors talked and had fun together. We discussed what we are going to do at the National Tournament while we roasted hot dogs and “some-mores”. Some of us went to our cabins to go to sleep. However, I stayed up for little while to practice my forms and the board-breaking technique. I did this two nights.  

When I heard that the Nationals were being held in Branson, Missouri, I wanted to go and compete there. I talked to my karate instructor about going to compete in the Nationals. I was so excited to be able to go. I signed up for these 3 events: (1) forms (2) point sparring (3) power board breaking. For example: forms are basic requirement moves you need to learn in exact order and routine.   When you start the forms it is so important to bow in front of the instructors to show appropriate and respect. The instructors teach you self-defense and show you how to defend yourself when someone comes behind you and suddenly attacks you; you need to have quick judgment and quick reaction. This is the reason you have to learn all your forms perfectly.

Sparring is fighting against your opponent by using your hands and feet only. When you do sparring you need to wear special head gear, chest protector, punching gloves and foot gear. You also need mouth guard to wear to guard your mouth and your teeth. When you punch your opponent’s head, stomach and sides just above their waist only, you get points when you hit, punch and kick to that person. Then once you finish your 3 rounds, you and your opponents stand in front of the judges. You stand very still and wait until they total up your score. Then they tally up your grand total of your score and have you stand in order according to how you placed; the winner and then 2^{nd and} 3^rd place. They do the same process for each event you compete in. 

For board breaking you learn how to break plastic or wooden boards with your hands and your feet. Also you can do kicks and spinning along with your forms too. It is important to learn these moves for this particular form because you also could do kicks with the boards. 

At the tournament in the gymnasium, they had 9 big blue and red gymnast mats and they had 9 events going on at once. I was really surprised I said to myself "WOW!" I was walking around to each event watching other competitors compete in their events cheering, clapping, rooting them on, being good sport after their event was over, telling them "good job, you did great". 

The competitors each had their own sections to compete and their own judges and referees for each event like forms, sparring, and board breaking. Some students even did weapon competitions. They were very excited when they earned their awards for each of their events.

I competed in forms and sparring. I earned a 3^rd place medal in both events. Then I also competed in board breaking and earned a 2^nd place medal.  To me, all of my medals feel like 1^st place because I did my best in all my events. I’m very glad and happy and very proud of myself that I did this.